What Will the Marlins Opening Day Lineup Look Like?

(5) Jesus Aguilar 1B

Just a year removed from a 35 home run, all-star campaign for the Milwaukee Brewers, the still-29-year-old Jesus Aguilar was gained from the Tampa Bay Rays off waivers on December 2nd.

The Rays cut bait rather than trying to wait out Aguilar’s 2019 struggles. Between Milwaukee and Tampa Bay, the six-foot-three right hander hit just .236/.325/.389 with only a dozen home runs.

Although Aguilar has, at times played third base (19 innings over his six major league seasons), he’s mainly a first baseman. Now I’m not saying he’ll automatically regain his 2018 swagger, but somewhere halfway between that and his 2019 would be just fine with me.

(6) Jonathan Villar 3B

Jonathan Villar has traditionally been a second baseman or a shortstop throughout his major league career, now seven seasons. Despite that, the Marlins may end up utilizing him as their Opening Day center fielder. He and Berti could easily swap positions, as the Marlins are ripe with multi-positional talents.

Villar was swapped with the Baltimore Orioles for minor league pitcher Easton Lucas, just so that they could get something for their top producing position player in 2019. Villar had a 4.0 WAR and was one of only five major leaguers to play in all 162 games for their major league team. He hit .274/.339/.453 with 24 home runs, 73 RBI, and 40 stolen bases in only 49 attempts.

If not one of the top 20 players in baseball, Villar is somewhere in the top 50 by my count. That’s yet another 30 HR threat in the middle of the Marlins order. Somebody pinch me.